Homily: 2nd Week of Easter - Wednesday - the Gospel triumphs over the world

Throughout the season of Easter, we hear extensively from the Acts of the Apostles, the power of Christ's Resurrection transformed the lives of ordinary fishermen into the most powerful force in human history.

We heard today how a prison cell could not contain the message of new life, how the good news carried by ordinary people wants to burst open doors that are "securely locked" to the rest of the world.  The Power of God's life and God's love, the power of his grace is more powerful than any worldly power or institution.

Any of you who saw Father Robert Barron's wonderful series on Catholicism may remember Father Barron's thoughts upon visiting the Colosseum.  "look at the wreckage, this was once the splendor of the Roman EMpire" compare that to Saint Peter's, John Lateran, we won, the spirit is shown to be more powerful than the powers of the world.  Every Good Friday, the Pope comes into the Coliseum carrying the Cross.  Now, remember the Cross was a symbol of Roman power, "if you cross us, this is what we'll do to you!  If you cross the Roman State we will subject you to this sort of humiliating torturous death.  That's how secular power tends to maintain its position, through threats of power."  Yet now, the Pope caries the cross into the Coliseum, saying,  it is not the power of violence of the secular state that brings victory and salvation, rather it is the power of God's love, and compassion, and peace.

Cardinal George of Chicago tells a story about witnessing the election of Pope Benedict XVI.  As the Cardinals were gathered in the Loggia of Saint Peter's watching the new Pope greet the people, Cardinal George says I was gazing over toward the Circus Maximus, toward the Palatine Hill where the Roman Emperors once resided and reigned and looked down upon the persecution of Christians, and I thought, 'Where are their successors? Where is the successor of Caesar Augustus? Where is the successor of Marcus Aurelius? And finally, who cares? But if you want to see the successor of Peter, he is right next to me, smiling and waving at the crowds.'"

Here we are, in the basilica of Saint John Lateran, the Cathedral of the Successor of Saint Peter.  What a wonderful place to reflect on the victory of Christ carried by the Catholic Church.

In this morning's catechesis, Pope Francis spoke of the new way and the new life that is available to the world through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Through Baptism, we become beloved children of the Father, able to call God, "Papa", who loves us even when we go astray.  But following Christ is more than just following commandments, "it is about being like Christ, thinking and acting like Christ, and being transformed by the love of Christ."

In each of us there are remnants of the old way of life, attitudes of selfishness, and hardness, violent words, violent thoughts, entitlement, but each of us are called to surrender to the power of the Spirit, as the Holy father said today, by hearing God's word, praying, sharing in the sacraments, put to death those old ways, to think and act like Christ, bearing witness to the freedom, the joy and hope born of his Victory, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.